The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-31

polishers. This requires Long practice. and a
family that has daughter who is a good
polisher is considered fortunate Even young
man. when he goes wooine. inquiries whether
the young girl 10 a good polisher and il she is il
certainly will increase his affection for her at
least two-fold.
some OF the best violins being twenty and even
thirty times polished. There is one violin called
the "Oii Artist by Lowendall. which is sup
posed to be the best violin made now that has
polish that looks exactly as if the 1nsrrument
had a coat of amber. But there is one thing
which thought funny: Every family has its
peculiar style of polishing. and they never va-y
from that. There is one that makes nothing but
deep wine color, another a citron color. yet an
body from Mark Neukrchen would come to
America and see violin in a store, he would at
once know what family had made it,
How many violins one family, say OF six
persons, make in a week."
..Well. that depends entirely upon the quality.
OF ordinary vioiins. think they could make
instance. what is called 'Paganini,' and ole
Bull a Conservatory etc. it takes two
weeks
.'How do these people dispose of their manu-
featured stockF'
THAT depends One of the largest violin
firms in Europe is L9wenthal, in Dresden,
which takes all the stock manufactured by
about hundred families Bnt of the
people, when the week is up. take all thu violins
they have made TO the market, where the dealers
come buy them. This takes place every
Saturday, and you can see the women with great
baskets filed with violins their backs come
into the city co sell them. They are dressed the
same the women the Black Forest. who,
with their baskets their backs, travel to
Nuremberg to sell wooden toys and the cele-
brated clocks
What are the principal models which modern
violin makers try to imitate2'
There the Straduarius, called SO after the
Oldest violin-maker in the world. He lived
about 1925 IN Cremona. OF course so called vio-
Inns or instruments similar to them made
thousands OF years ago. even the Romans had
ever made an instrument deserving the name of
being the queen of instruments. There are but
very few or them now. l know of one. which
belongs to Mr.. Hart, Engshman, who, by
the way is the best judge of a violin now living.
His instrument is valued at Sc. 500. The next
model is Guanarius. He lived in Italy about
1879 One of his original instruments is in
the possession Of Madame Norman Neruda
That violin is priceless. 1t really does not be-
long TO Neruoa' out she uses It. The owner of
1t is an Italian family to whom it has belonged
for 200 years back"
1.-THE Amati model is also very popular
Amatl lived about $780, and one of his original
instruments is now owned by Mr.. Hechtel, a
Vienna musician and student OF Spohr, the
celebrated German violinist, who died about
twelve years ago as court violinist to the EN-
peror of Austria. About that fiddle story is
told Spohr fascinated an Italian at one time to
such an extent with his music that he made him
a present of his violin. which proved be the
Amati But when Spohr was going to
Goettingln he attacked by robbers who
stole everything from him, even his violin. Dis
consulate. he ran about the country for q time
frettine over the loss of his instrument. After
some years had elapsed. however, and Spohr
was walking through the streets of Goettingen,
he noticed violin in curiosity shop which
seemed to be ike his lost friend He at once
into the store, pulled the fiddle off the wall,
and when his saw that 1t really his own lost
Amati. he cried for joy. Other models are. also,
Magelni, who lived 1850: Bregonza 1850; Casper
de Sa!o. of Brescia, 1885, and Stainert. the Ty-
rolese of 1875.
Il also heard the other day that the great
Wilhelmj, who is violin player to the Sultan at
Constantinople. has been presented by his mas
ter with violin which cost 20. 600 francs. That
is supposed to be Straduarius, too But old
v1olins getting very rare nowadays. The
best place for man VINO wants to buy an old
fiddle Is Hungaria. Everybody plays there. and
everybody owns instrument. have known
of good many people that have found real
gem out there. Large European dealers make
trips through that country every year hunting
for old violins, and they invariably make their
journey turn out proitably'
..Are there other places where violns
made nowadays except SAxony2"
EYES, but they of much account.
There are a few made in Italy, in Spain, and
also in France However. Italy, which is really
the cradle of the violin. is still headquarters for
the strings The finest and best made there.
The cause of that is the climate. which has a
great deal to do with the manufacture of
them5